Tuesday, January 22, 2013

First off, I was so confused. In the commercials leading up to last night’s episode, they made it look like Tierra was either pushed or was made to fall down the stairs …. when in reality she fell down by what seemed to be by accident. She was almost taken away by ambulance and then realized that she did not want to actually be taken away. It’s hard to say if she actually hurt herself or intended this to happen so that Sean would come running to her rescue. I’m always a bit naïve when it comes to people, so I’d like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say it was by accident.

This made Sean late for his one-on-one date with AshLee (totally weird how the letter ‘L’ is capitalized in her name). And although AshLee should have been totally peeved, she is a totally down to earth type of girl and did not let this event ruin her date with Sean.

So here’s how the dates all played out:

Date #1: Lesley

I actually felt kind of bad for Lesley. There she was looking all fab in her cute little pink lacy dress (one of my best friend’s and I were totally wondering where we can buy this dress, love it that much) and Sean whisks her away to … the Guinness World Records museum in Hollywood? Say, what?

Turns out the big surprise is that they are there to set a record of their own: longest onscreen kiss!

I must say, Sean and Lesley did a pretty good job. Their kiss at times was passionate while after a while it was just their lips touching but who can blame them? 3.5 minutes is actually a long time to kiss.

They did enjoy a little rooftop champagne after they won their world record which kind of made up for the silly part of their date. I thought they really connected and Lesley wasn’t just throwing herself at Sean. When chatting, she didn’t make it seem like they were totally meant to be together, but that perhaps with time, they would find out. It’s the crazy ones that ‘know’ they are going to be with the Bachelor that you know don’t have a chance.

Date #2: Group Date

I absolutely HATE group dates. How awkward. This one started with a bit of a twist. They were asked to go play on the beach. Conveniently, all the ladies were wearing somewhat sporty two-pieces so you’d think they would kind of wonder what type of ‘playing’ they would actually be doing.

Low and behold, Harrison suddenly appeared and told them they would be split into two teams to play beach volleyball against one another. The winning team would get to continue the group date while the losing team would be sent packing. This game started off quite friendly and then picked up pace. I couldn’t believe how close the game actually was. It came right down to the wire. Blue team: won. Red team: lost. Red team was so bummed out that Kristy and Leslie were still crying when they got back to the mansion.

The blue team got to hang out with Sean at his temporary home. This when Kacie made a HUGE mistake. She decided to take it upon herself to tell Sean that Desiree and Amanda were at odds which made her felt as though she was caught between them. As soon as she started uttering these words to Sean, I thought to myself “Bye, bye Kacie!” She honestly lost Sean in this moment, big time! She even said herself, she doesn’t like to involve herself in the drama but here she is discussing it to the main person she is trying to win over. BIG MISTAKE!

Date #3: AshLee

After Tierra pretended to throw herself at Sean, AshLee and Sean sent out for their one-on-one. I actually missed part of their date but came back to tune into them having fun with two teens who were both suffering from serious diseases. I thought this was really touching and what better person to be on this date, than AshLee! She was so sweet and caring towards those two girls. Sean definitely caught a good glance as to what AshLee is really all about. Her past history also tugged on his heart strings. Go Girl!

The Rose Ceremony

Sean felt really bad for Sarah because they didn’t get to spend any time together all week so he had her dog, Leo, sent up for a visit. HOW SWEET! Honestly, for him to think about doing this for her shows he has some true feelings there. This also comes to a bit of a surprise because the fact that she has only one arm did raise concerns in terms of whether he would truly like her or feel somewhat forced to keep her on the show. But after seeing this thoughtful gesture, I think he’s got a crush for sure!

Kacie was sent packing before the roses were even handed out. CALLED IT!I do feel bad for her though. I feel as though she did not approach the situation in the proper manner and she is very sweet. She just should have left the drama out of it.

Monday, January 21, 2013

I'm stealing this post idea “First Thing” from another lovely blogger, Jacki (& she stole it from someone else) over at ‘Wine Down’. I hope everyone in the US is enjoying MLK day!

First thing you do when you wake up in the morning:Feed my dog, Boots!First thing you reach for when you open the fridge:In the morning? Some kind of fruit … First thing you do when you get to the gym:The what? I don’t go there these days but I do try to walk Boots everyday! First thing you do when you get home from work:Let the dog out and catch up on shows that I’ve missed. First car:The first car I drove around was my dad’s old Pontiac Trans Am van – which was bright blue! First accident/traffic violation:Given a warning for speeding (learned my lesson & never was stopped again) First thing you wanted to be when you grew up:Sports Psychologist First choice beverage:Perrier nowadays, but usually Wine. First choice breakfast:Egg sandwich.First choice dessert:Cheesecake.First choice dream career:Stay at home momFirst song that comes to mind: “Catch my Breath” by Kelly Clarkson First major purchase:Ryan and I bought a house together June, 2009. First job (aside from babysitting): Fish plant. Don’t ask! First time you flew on a plane:Trip to Florida when I was maybe 3yrs old.First thing you do when you get in the car:Turn it on and put on my seat-belt.First thing you do when you get on the computer:Check my Facebook.First person you call when you have exciting news:The hubby of course! xoFirst pet:My fam had a black lab named Sammy while I was growing up, then I desperately wanted another lab so we ended up getting a chocolate one named Harley which my parents took over .. & Ryan and I rescued a mix from the SPCA, his name is Boots. So I guess Boots is my official first pet. First time leaving the country:Same trip to Florida as mentioned above.

This weekend has been … well busy yet relaxing at the same time. At some point yesterday though, I came down with a serious cold. I slept for most of the day and still feel like crap. I was going to call in sick but all my ‘go-to’ supply teachers were already working today so I’m powering through.

Friday,

hubby and I had a lovely little date night with 4 other couples. It was great catching up with great friends. We rented a private room at Osaka Hibachi which was nice and cozy. One thing that was extremely difficult, was watching everyone eat all the yummy sushi! That is definitely one thing that I miss eating while being pregnant. What I ordered ended up being really yummy as well but I cannot wait until I can eat regular sushi again! Once supper was over, this mommy-to-be decided to call it quits for the evening while everybody else continued on to the Tide & Board Pub. Originally, I thought I would be up for staying out all night but then extreme fatigue set in. I have no problem going home early because I know it will only due Baby J good!

Saturday, I relaxed most of the day! Saturday night, I decided to join my best friend for supper as she celebrated one of her friend’s birthdays. We headed to Five Bridges to eat and I had a wonderful time. I really only knew the birthday gal and my best friend but enjoyed meeting some new friendly faces. It was a fun evening and I was able to be home early enough to get some rest. Gotta love pregnant life!

Sunday, as previously mentioned, was spent mostly sleeping. I slept-in until 11am and then went for a nap in the afternoon … 3 hours later I woke up. Obviously caught some sort of bug and am still suffering today unfortunately. Hopefully will shake this ASAP.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

1. Comparison between 14 weeks & 18 weeks pregnant! I’m almost halfway there now!!!2. Playing around with the app ‘Overgram’. I had the girls over for one of my best friend’s birthday and once all the girls left, I could not find Boots anywhere. Until I checked our bed. 3. Pic with the birthday girls, Lindsay!! xo4. An old one of Boots when we were staying at my parents place while the painters were doing their magic in our home. 5. Can you tell, I just love my dog to pieces. Here he is winking at the camera ;)6. Loving my new Christmas prezzie from the hubby. He even got me matching boots. Nicely done, nicely done!! xOx7. This last one is cute stencil I could totally see myself using for a girl’s nursery. We find out on the 30th if it is a GIRL or BOY!!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Well, I thought it was about time for a change. First of all, I knew my blog name was very generic (Live, Laugh, Love) so I tried to come up with something a bit different. My new blog name is not as catchy as I would have liked… but it will have to due for now!

A few days ago, I was over at C Mae’s blog ‘My Oh My’ (love her blog!) and noticed she gave her self a blog makeover. I noticed that her new template (which is super cute) was designed by Rockaboo Designs. I checked out her Etsy shop and fell in love with this one. It’s simple, cute and something new. I knew I needed a blog lift as I was just using one of the standard templates by Blogger.

I’m pretty proud of myself. I purchased the new template and installed it all by myself. It was actually pretty easy because Kayla over @ Rockaboo sent along some excellent instructions to follow. The cost was also super reasonable which is great. I did not want to go overboard and have someone design a completely new blog page for me because … well, one main reason is that I only have 26 followers. I think if I actually had a larger following then maybe I would consider it but for now, I am happy with a simple lift. Hopefully you all like it and who knows – maybe it will bring some new followers. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

In other news … last night, hubby and I had a date night with 4 other couples. It was great catching up with great friends. We rented a private room at Osaka Hibachi so it was nice and cozy. One thing that was extremely difficult, was watching everyone eat all the yummy sushi! That is definitely one thing that I miss eating while being pregnant. What I ordered ended up being really yummy as well but I cannot wait until I can eat regular sushi again! Once supper was over, this mommy-to-be decided to call it quits for the evening while everybody else continued on to the Tide & Board Pub. Originally, I thought I would be up for staying out all night but then extreme fatigue set in. I have no problem going home early because I know it will only due Baby J good!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Dear students please stop driving me crazy. I guess I should have realized that handing out bobble head pens to each and every one of my students after a field trip was a recipe for disaster. We have two more weeks of French and then will be switching over to the English program. Can you say excited much?!

Dear husband thank you for being so good to me during my pregnancy. You have never once complained and are always making sure that I am well looked after. I love you so much and could not have asked for a better husband. You’re the absolute best.

Dear Baby J we cannot wait to see you during our first ultrasound which is 1 week and 5 days from now. I am very excited to find out whether or not you are a girl or a boy. Originally, I was thinking you were a girl then my thoughts turned to boy and now I have no clue. You have certainly kept me guessing. It will be so exciting to tell our family and friends this exciting news.

Dear home renovations thank you for turning out so beautifully. Now that the wall has been torn down in our kitchen/dining room, I love our house that much more. We have so much more room and it feels much more spacious. I had the girls over last weekend and we spent the majority of the time sitting at the kitchen island!

Dear second bathroom (addition) reno you will have to wait!

Dear blog friends thank you for following me. Any suggestions on how I can make my blog better? I have ordered a new template which should arrive within the next two days. Excited! I am also considering changing my blog name considering it is very generic. I am having such a difficult time deciding on one that is catchy, fun and different. Any suggestions?

Friday, January 04, 2013

Dear 2012, What a fantastic year! 2012 saw so many amazing things happen. I really thought nothing could top 2011 (the year we got married) but 2012 almost managed to do so. The year began with a trip to visit my parents in Key West, Florida during March Break. My husband and I are both teachers so we always have a week off in March. My parents decided that for Christmas, they would buy us tickets to go down and visit them for a week. Mom and Dad actually made the trek down to Key West from the East Coast of Canada. We had an absolutely fantastic week with them! It was so nice for my husband and I to spend time with both of them. We had a great time enjoying the nice weather, eating yummy suppers and playing some fun card games. Then in April, we were graced with the birth of our precious miracle niece, Molly. She was born prematurely and weighed-in at 2lbs. 1oz. She is now 9 months old and we love her very, very much. Following this, we enjoyed the weddings of my best friend as well as my brother. My best friend had been my Maid of Honor for my wedding in 2011 so it was awesome to do her the same honor this summer. The summer was filled with tons of pre-wedding related events that were tons of fun. September 1st, my brother married his best friend out in Red Deer, Alberta. My whole family flew out West for the big day. We had a great time touring around Calgary and Banff. It was the first time my husband saw the Mountains on the Alberta side so it was pretty special. Upon our return, my husband and I finally decided it was time to start a little family. We had enjoyed a fully year of marital bliss and knew that we were ready to have our family grow . Sure enough, I got pregnant immediately!!! I am beyond grateful that it was as easy as it was because I know it can be much more difficult for some. I also know how high the rate for miscarriages can be. I would like to say that I’m not scared but the thought does cross my mind from time to time that this could still be a possibility although I know the chances decrease significantly after 12 weeks so I am really hoping we are in the clear! I’m starting to get REALLY EXCITED because we get to find out if it is a GIRL or a BOY on January 30th. I know some prefer the surprise but hubby and I would like to be fully planned by the time the little one arrives. We’re thinking of throwing a gender reveal party sometime next month to share the news with all our family and friends. 2012 was pretty exciting but I have a feeling 2013 will bring tons of new adventures and excitement with Baby J!

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

As a way to recap the year, I thought back to all of the special memories that happened and chose my top 10 from 2012. The pictures are found in order as they happened throughout the year… so from January to December.

Enjoy!

1) Trip to visit my parents in Key West, Florida during March Break!

2) The birth of our precious little miracle niece. Born prematurely and weighing in at 2lbs. 1oz., she is truly a miracle & we love her very much! xox

3) Cavendish Country Concert for some pre-bachelorette fun with the ladies. Alabama & Rascal Flatts were amazing!

4) Best friend’s big BACHELORETTE @ Broadleaf Farms, N.B.

(She would kill me for posting this in so many media forms but I know she’ll still love me…)

5) Becoming Godparents! xo When hubby’s sister asked both of us to be our niece’s godparents, we were truly touched and blessed.

6) Best Friend’s Wedding! In true country form …

7) First Year Anniversary Trip! Hubby, Boots & I decided to pack up and head down to my husband’s uncle’s camp which is right on the Miramichi River.We had beautiful weather, enjoyed each other’s company & Boots was obviously in Heaven!

8) Brother’s Wedding in Red Deer, Alberta! It was so special for me to have my baby brother marry the woman of his dreams and best friend. She is an amazing person and I am so lucky to call her a sister now.

9) Trip to NYC with Mom!!! It was my first time in the Big Apple and had an amazing time with my mom seeing the sites, enjoying a few shows and getting a little shopping in, of course!

10) BEST MOMENT OF ALL ……………..

Baby J!

My husband and I could not be more excited to be welcoming our first child, June 2013!

2012 was an amazing year but …I have a feeling that 2013 will be even better!

East Coast Girl and brand new Mom. I am a teacher who loves her job and surrounds herself with family, great friends, and the cutest dog on the planet. Everyday one should live, laugh, love & read my blog ;)